The Mob Museum, officially known as the National Museum of Organized Crime and Law Enforcement, is a history museum located in Downtown Las Vegas, Nevada, United States.
The museum opened on February 14, 2012. It shows artifacts, stories, and the history of organized crime in the United States, as well as the work of law enforcement to stop such crimes. The museum is located in the old Las Vegas Post Office and Courthouse, a building constructed in 1933 and listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is found on Stewart Avenue, two blocks north of Fremont Street, which is the main street in the downtown casino area.
The museum was designed by Dennis Barrie, who also helped create the International Spy Museum and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. It is managed by a non-profit group called the "300 Stewart Avenue Corporation" in partnership with the City of Las Vegas. The museum focuses on the contentious relationship between organized crime and law enforcement within the historical context of Las Vegas and the United States.
History
In 2000, the federal government sold the old post office and federal courthouse to the city for $1. The sale included rules that the building must be restored to its original appearance and used for cultural activities.
In 2002, then-Mayor Oscar Goodman, who once worked as a defense attorney for mob members, proposed creating a mob museum. The idea faced early opposition from Italian-American groups. However, the FBI supported the plan, including Ellen Knowlton, a former FBI agent in Las Vegas, who later became president of the museum’s board.
The project’s budget was estimated at $50 million, with $26 million allocated for restoring the building. Funding came from federal, state, and local grants. Goodman caused debate by suggesting federal stimulus money could be used for the museum.
The museum opened on February 14, 2012. The day before and the morning of the opening were reserved for press and dignitary events. As of January 2024, adult tickets cost $34.95, with $19.95 for Nevada residents. Other groups, such as students, received different pricing.
Exhibits
The main attraction of the Mob Museum is the courtroom on the second floor. This courtroom was where one of fourteen national Kefauver Committee hearings took place in 1950 and 1951 to reveal details about organized crime. The museum also has the brick wall from the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre. Other exhibits show how organized crime used violence, stole money from casinos, and how law enforcement used listening devices to track criminals. In 2018, a new exhibit called Organized Crime Today was added to the first floor after a major renovation.
The self-guided tour starts on the third floor, where the actual wall from the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre is displayed. Visitors can reach it by elevator or stairs. The tour then continues to the second and first floors. A film about the history of organized crime, beginning with the end of Prohibition, is available for viewing. The main part of the museum includes photos of Mob-related events, along with captions that explain their importance and the people or events connected to them.
The museum has sections that focus on the Mob’s illegal activities, such as gambling, drugs, prostitution, and bootlegging, as well as how law enforcement tried to stop these crimes. Visitors can see disturbing photos of victims from famous Mafia murders, along with pictures and short biographies of well-known gangsters. A special wall near the exit shows images of actors who played famous Mobsters in movies and TV shows. Many exhibits are interactive, and film clips are shown on loop at different stations throughout the museum.
A gift shop is located on the first floor. Using photos, text, displays, interactive exhibits, and other museum techniques, visitors learn about the history of organized crime, Prohibition, and the business opportunities it created. They also learn about Las Vegas’ first casinos, Howard Hughes, J. Edgar Hoover, the FBI’s beginnings, Al Capone, Eliot Ness, and other historical figures. Visitors can sit in a replica electric chair, listen to real wiretap recordings, use a training simulator for law enforcement, and explore a crime lab exhibit about forensic science.
In April 2018, the museum opened a working speakeasy and distillery in its basement exhibit called The Underground. This area includes displays about the Prohibition era, as well as the people who smuggled alcohol during that time. The museum makes its own 100-proof, 100% corn moonshine using a custom-built still in The Underground. In 2019, the museum began selling its moonshine at Lee’s Discount Liquor stores in the Las Vegas Valley. Previously, the moonshine was only available in The Underground.